San Antonio’s VIA Upgrades to 4G LTE

SUMMARY

VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio recently upgraded the 3G wireless service provided on a portion of the agency’s fleet, replacing the service with 4G LTE WiFi on all buses, paratransit vans, and facilities. Cradlepoint played a key role in providing VIA with a cost-effective option that offers more reliable service with the ability to update units remotely.

Working with Cradlepoint, VIA was able to install more than 700 routers in 30 days.

“After the installations, Cradlepoint provided the resources needed to merely flip a switch and offer free, 4G LTE based WiFi to all of our riders instantly,” said Larry Mixon, Acting Vice President of Information Technology for VIA.

CUSTOMER PROFILE

VIA has been the public transportation provider for the Greater San Antonio region since 1978. VIA operates seven days a week on 90 routes, providing approximately 134,000 passenger trips each day and serving 7,225 bus stops, seven park and rides, six transit centers, and 12 major transfer points.

BUSINESS NEED & SOLUTION

Previously, 3G wireless services had been provided on VIA’s express and bus rapid transit routes. Using Cradlepoint’s unique technology and expertise for in-vehicle solutions, VIA was able to upgrade to 4G LTE WiFi service on every bus and van, and passenger facility. Cradlepoint’s solution provided VIA with the ability to quickly and easily manage and configure the network all at once, resulting in a paradigm shift in how the agency deploys routers and wireless services.

BENEFITS

With Cradlepoint, installing the in-vehicle network was simple. This allowed VIA to create a deployment template that was easy to follow, helping the agency install 769 platforms in approximately 30 days. Instead of taking several months of turnover time for installation, VIA was able install the platform and return the bus to service in a matter of hours. The ease of installation allowed VIA to simplify deployments and significantly reduce turn-up time.

The cloud-delivered capabilities from Cradlepoint help VIA in two main ways. First, they centralize monitoring and configuration activities across the network, making management much simpler. Second, they provide VIA with a means to deploy analytics to visualize what kinds of devices are connected to the network, as well as track which destinations are the most heavily visited areas. Cradlepoint also provides VIA the opportunity to leverage cloud-delivered in-vehicle connectivity for more applications in the future.